What Insights Can We Learn from Steven Gerrard's Time as Rangers Manager?
Steven Gerrard has been at the center of conversation since Rangers dismissed Russell Martin on the weekend, and the ex-coach is set to talk about a potential comeback with the club's owners.
The decision-makers at Ibrox announced that a "comprehensive, thoughtful recruitment procedure" is now underway.
Additional names are set to be reviewed, however if ex Anfield and Three Lions captain is willing to a return spell at Ibrox, could the position as good as his?
The 45-year-old coach lately mentioned about “remaining goals” in coaching and revealed he has started approaching prospective members for his coaching team.
In a latest audio interview with Rio Ferdinand, appearing to be recorded before Martin's brief tenure concluded, Gerrard stated he desired “to be at a team that's going to compete to win because I think that fits me more”.
He added: “If the right call arrives, the right club, the correct opportunity, and I've got my people set, which I will have at some point, I'll accept that role because it's part of my nature.”
Performance at Rangers in Initial Period
After gaining knowledge as a academy manager at Anfield, Gerrard accepted his maiden coaching position in the mid-year of 2018.
During three complete campaigns at Rangers, he secured just one trophy – however it was a big one.
Following placements of nine and 13 points behind their rivals in his first two campaigns, Gerrard guided Rangers to their maiden top-flight title in a decade, which just happened to deny their Glasgow rivals an historic 10-in-a-row win.
And he achieved it in style, with his team unbeaten in the process.
Rangers triumphed in all of their domestic games, scored 92 goals and conceded a only 13.
The drawback was that it came amid of the pandemic and fanless grounds.
It remains Rangers' only league triumph since the 2010-11 season.
How Did Gerrard's Old Firm Record Perform?
In sharp difference to Martin's unhappy experience, Gerrard started strongly at Rangers, going 12 games unbeaten until his initial trip to Celtic Park.
In his debut campaign the derby honours were even, each side earning two home wins, with Rangers having last beaten Celtic in 2012.
Two losses to Celtic came in the following truncated season, followed by Rangers winning in the eastern part of Glasgow for the initial occasion since 2010.
After that, Gerrard stayed unbeaten in derbies, winning five more and tying once.
Rangers came through four rounds of preliminaries to reach the group stage of the Europa League in Gerrard's first season.
In 2019-20, they advanced to the elimination stage of the identical competition, losing out to Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16, with their run ending at the same stage the next year.
What Led Gerrard Depart Rangers?
The Birmingham club made an approach in November 2021, paying £4.5m in compensation.
He left Rangers with a lead ahead of Celtic at the top of the standings – but their local opponents would claw that back to win by the same margin.
The attraction of the Premier League is powerful and it could have been seen as the natural progression on a dream return to Liverpool at a time when his managerial stock was high.
“Steven and his coaching team have made sure that the team is undoubtedly in a stronger position today than it was several seasons ago,” said then Rangers football executive Ross Wilson.
“We have shared a goal to move Rangers forward, to modernise our facilities and to make the club win again.”
What Was Gerrard's Record at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia?
Gerrard did not last a year at Villa Park.
Up and down performances resulted in a mid-table finish at the end of the 2021-22 campaign before a 3-0 loss at Craven Cottage left them in 17th in autumn 2022 when he was dismissed.
Across 2022, he secured just eight of his 31 games, suffering defeat in 15.
He moved to Saudi Arabia in summer 2023 when he took over at Al-Ettifaq.
His most recent job lasted 18 months and he departed with the club sitting 12th in the Saudi league, only five points above the drop zone.
“Overall, I have learned a lot, and it's been a beneficial experience personally and for my loved ones,” he said in the end of January. “But football is uncertain, and sometimes things don't go the way we hope.”
These post-Ibrox exploits may give some hesitation and the individual might harbor concerns over taking over a struggling team, but Gerrard probably has the character to manage such a prominent position.
He is the sole Rangers boss to have lifted the league trophy since the great Walter Smith. That experience could be difficult to overlook for an pressured Ibrox board.